| OutBack Power Systems Tent #1 Renewable Energy Track
Friday
4:30 - 7:00 pm
Veggie Oil Cars: How You Can Get Started!
This extended workshop will provide information on the different systems that allow you to operate a diesel vehicle on filtered waste vegetable oil and will help you decide whether to go the do-it- yourself way or hire a trained professional. Securing a waste vegetable oil supply and filtering will also be covered.
Presenter: Ken Oldrid works for CV Solar & Wind. He is the founder of Green Diesels which converts diesel vehicles to run on waste vegetable oil. He has been involved in dozens of vehicle conversions and has logged thousands of miles on his own waste vegetable oil vehicle.
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
PV 101: Plug Your Home into the Sun!
This workshop is an introduction to photovoltaic (PV) technology and its use as a source of electric power for the home. The workshop begins with a narrated slideshow followed by a brief lecture. Ample time will be left at the end for participants to ask questions.
Presenter: Richard Gottlieb established Sunnyside Solar, in Brattleboro, VT, in 1979 and has been teaching photovoltaic and solar technologies since 1983. He is a NABCEP Certified Installer and a Vermont Solar Partner. Richard and his wife, Carol Levin, are long-time leaders in the solar energy movement, winning the 2002 Distinguished Service Award from the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Homegrown Feed, Food and Fuel: Local Production-Local Use
How much of Vermont's fossil fuel, livestock feed and food-grade oil could be met with in-state production of oilseed crops? Is local production of biodiesel for local use sustainable? And what is Vermont doing to prepare for an energy-constrained future? Come to this workshop to discuss these questions.
Presenter: Netaka White has a twenty-year career in mission-based businesses and organizations, with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture and rural development. He is the Biofuels Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and the former Executive Director of Vermont Biofuels Association.
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Spin Your Electric Meter Backwards Using PV
This workshop, explores grid-tied solar technology and its application as a critical component in meeting our energy needs, now and in the future. The topics covered include solar site evaluation, equipment availability, installation methods and understanding the economics, and other reasons, for an investment in a home solar energy system.
Presenter: Ananda Hartzell is the manager of the Engineering and High Performance Building Department at groSolar. He has a B.S. in Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado and is a LEED accredited professional.
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Vermont Wind Power: Clean, Plentiful, & Affordable
This workshop will explore the benefits of wind energy in Vermont and discuss ways to gain community support for projects that have lasting benefits for all Vermonters.
Presenter: Allison Finley is the Manager of Public Affairs for a leading renewable energy company with projects throughout New England. Her prior experience includes public relations, environmental policy analysis, and socially responsible investing.
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Update on Two Novel and Emerging Solar PV Technologies
This presentation will discuss two emerging photovoltaic technologies - micro-concentrating PV and multiple carrier/multiple photon absorption PV - that appear to have great promise for both distributed and centralized applications.
Presenter: Ben Luce is a PhD physicist who recently moved to Vermont from New Mexico where he was instrumental in advancing state-level renewable energy policies.
Sunday
9:00-10:00 am
PV 101: Plug Your Home into the Sun!
Repeat Workshop: See Saturday's schedule for complete information.
10:30 - 11:30 am
The Forgotten Masses: Renewable Energy in the Developing World
An estimated one-third of humanity, nearly 1.6 billion people, lack access to modern energy services. To meet their lighting and cooking needs, they are largely reliant on traditional forms of energy such as biomass, charcoal, and kerosene, which are unsustainable, uneconomic, and unsafe. This workshop will demonstrate the promise of sustainable energy technologies in increasing the quality of life for many of the most vulnerable people living in the developing world.
Presenter: Lindsay Madeira is a project manager for the International Finance Corporation, the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, based in Washington DC. She is currently working on a major initiative, "Lighting Africa," which seeks to provide 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa with access to non-fossil fuel based, low cost, safe, and reliable lighting products by the year 2030.
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Solar Thermal Systems: How to get Hot Water From the Sun
This workshop will cover the basics of solar thermal systems, such as domestic hot water systems and space heating options, including system designs, costs, and incentives.
Presenter: Will White is the Vermont regional manager for SolarWrights, based in Montpelier. He is a NYSERDA approved installer, holds a CT photovoltaic journeyman's license, and is a NABCEP certified solar thermal and PV installer.
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Plug-In Hybrids: What's All the Hype?
This workshop will explore the opportunity that plug-in hybrids offer to decrease our dependence on oil and reduce emissions, as well as the exciting opportunity that plug-in vehicles create to use renewable forms of electricity to power our cars.
Presenter: Steven Letendre is a professor at Green Mountain College and a national expert on plug-in hybrids and sustainable transportation alternatives. He has published extensively on the topic and is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences.
3:00 - 4:00 pm
So, You Want to Be a Solar Entrepreneur!
Starting a green store or solar business takes vision, passion and willingness to take risk. The work of transitioning from the fossil fuel economy has been referred to as the most important work in the world; it is deeply rewarding, yet also extremely challenging. The presenter will discuss the opportunities and difficulties of start-up solar enterprises.
Presenter: David Bonta is founder of USA Solar Store, a chain of solar retail businesses.
Renewable Energy Outdoor Workshops area:
Saturday and Sunday
12:30 - 2:30 pm
The SolarFest Site Tour
The SolarFest site tour has become a tradition at the festival. SolarFest is powered by renewable energy equipment in a great number of configurations. This is a great way to learn how all of this equipment interacts to power this unique event.
Location: This workshop will begin at the SolarFest Power Station.
Presenter: John Blittersdorf is the owner and founder of Central Vermont Solar & Wind. John has overseen the preparations of SolarFest's renewable energy power systems for several years and has two decades of experience as a renewable energy installer.
USA Solar Store Tent #2 Green Building Track
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
Natural Building in the Northeast
This presentation will discuss various methods of construction (such as woodchip, clay, timberframe, cob, strawbale, earth blocks, clay plasters, wattle & daub, and wool insulation) and will demonstrate how we can move in the direction of more local, non-toxic, low impact materials and methods for building, taking into consideration the carbon cycle and subtle energy effects of materials on our bodies.
Presenter: Ben Graham grew up Cleveland, Ohio, and studied architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design. Ben moved to Vermont to be a part of the Natural Building movement and is the founder of Natural Design/Build and serves on the Plainfield Planning Commission.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Holistic Home Design and Creation
This workshop will explore the social, environmental and economic benefits of thoughtful and heart-full home design and food cultivation.
Presenter: Erin and Jim Malloy designed and built, with the help of 100's of volunteers, their earthen home in north-central Vermont. They live comfortably in their inexpensive; energy efficient; wind, solar & wood-powered cob home.
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Baling in the Northeast
Strawbale is a fantastic wall system that can offer beauty, provide good performance, and be an ecological option in many climates. Concerns with strawbale installation in the northeastern region include moisture introduced from interior and exterior sources; maximizing the R-value of the bales by insuring a tight installation; and choosing the right finishes and plasters for the bales. Join Ace in an examination of regionally-appropriate strawbale installation, and learn how we can continue to improve the way we build with bales.
Presenter: Ace McArleton, a member of the Northeast Natural Building Network, is a Central Vermont natural builder who loves building with strawbales. Ace co-owns a small natural building company with Chloe Jhangiani that prioritizes in creating space for women, queer, and transgendered people within the world of building.
2:00 - 4:30 pm
Creating an Ecological House
An ecological house is modeled on the energy and material flows of natural ecosystems, and thus enhances rather than degrades the environment by conserving energy, water, food and materials. This presentation explains how to set up a "home ecosystem" using passive solar design principles and on-site resources to complete food, water and material cycles on your property.
Presenter: Philip S. Wenz is a designer, contractor and writer, and is the founder and former director of the Ecological Design Program at the San Francisco Institute of Architecture. He now lives in Corvallis, OR, where he writes a syndicated newspaper column called Your Ecological HouseT and teaches at the local community college.
Sunday
9:00 - 10:00 am
Introduction to Green Building Practices and Systems
This presentation will give an overview of Apeiron's Center for Sustainable Living in Coventry, Rhode Island, which showcases more than 50 ecological systems, technologies and products.
Presenter: As a founder and Executive Director of the Apeiron Institute for Sustainable Living, Bradley Grove Hyson educates students, legislators, state employees, trades people, businesspeople, and concerned citizens about sustainable living concepts and practices. In 2001, Brad was awarded a RI Foundation Leadership & Development Fellowship, which enabled him to travel around the world researching Eco-Communities and other forms of collective living.
10:30 - 11:30 am
Thermal Envelope Improvements
Investments in energy efficiency generally provide the greatest return. This workshop will discuss ways to reduce heating and cooling loads up to 70% by improving the thermal performance of your structures. Learn about ways to identify weaknesses in the thermal envelope and strategies to solve identified problems.
Presenter: Scott Gardner, founder of Building Energy, has been building and remodeling energy efficient homes and businesses in the Northeast for more than thirty years. As a leader in environmentally responsible construction, he has created the Building Energy team to carry forward his commitment to environmentally responsible building practices, energy efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Living a Green Vision: Creating a Place to Call Home
Using the his own home as an example, Jim will explore aspects of green building including super insulation, local, recycled and non-toxic materials, renewable energy, landscape, heating, water and wastewater. Time will be left at the end of the presentation for questions and answers.
Presenter: Jim Grundy is the Owner and President of Elemental Energy, Inc. a small renewable energy company in East Montpelier. Having studied architecture, Jim has applied those studies to the design and building process he practices today.
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Energy Conservation: The Least Expensive kWh is the One Never Used
This workshop will focus on the many ways a home owner can reduce electrical and thermal energy consumption through affordable means. With the right equipment and habits, the energy used in a typical home can be cut by as much as half.
Presenter: George Lawrence has been with Efficiency Vermont for almost 2 years. In addition he has 10 years experience in the construction industry and sold renewable energy systems for 6 years. He is currently building a new home with a Bergey wind turbine, which should achieve 5 stars and fulfill his goal of a net-zero energy home.
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Healthy Home - Clean Up & Green Up
You may not be able to build your own passive and/or active solar cob or strawbale house, but you can save money and green up where you live right now. Learn how to clean your home while keeping your family and water supply safe from the hazardous chemicals that lurk in many cleaning products.
Presenter: Charen Fegard is the Environmental Health Programs Manager with the Association of Vermont Recyclers, a local non-profit dedicated to educating school children about recycling and various other environmental topics using theater programs and in-class presentations.
Noble Environmental Power Tent #3 Sustainable Agriculture Track
Saturday
9:00 - 10:30 am
Compost: The Secret Recipe!
Compost can provide fertility to your plants, improve your soil's tilth, and balance your soil biology - but you have got to cook it up right. How do you make great compost? What can be composted? What do you do if it isn't working? These questions will be answered by examining the principles and methods of making great compost on the home-gardener scale.
Presenter: Wendy Sue Harper, Ph.D., has taught compost biology and ecology to the Master Composters and the principles of composting to the Master Gardeners in VT for over a decade. While teaching at the University of Vermont, she taught courses in soil science and ecological agriculture and is now the Farmer Education Coordinator at the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Vertically Integrated Farming Methods for Sustainability: Incorporating Livestock and Produce Production
This workshop focuses on the "whole farm" approach taken by Brown Boar Farm in East Wells, VT. Topics will include a discussion of the important links between growing produce and raising livestock on the farm and the challenges and value of preserving heirloom varieties and breeds.
Presenter: Bryan Love, manager of vegetable production at Brown Boar Farm, has worked in sales, performed weather calculations for the NJ Park Service, and interned at several farms. For several years Bryan was the owner and operator of his own organic farm, where he grew specialty organic vegetables for farmer's markets and restaurants.
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Meat: Fueling the Debate; Debating the Fuels
It's easy to eat meat and dairy products without thinking much about it; it's also easy to reject eating meat and dairy products without thinking much about it. This workshop will not advocate for either choice but rather complicate the question by considering the different systems of farming that yield the animal products that some people consume. Are there "sustainable" ways for meat and other animal products to be produced? To what degree can the system be run by the sun? Come find out. Sorry-no samples and no simples.
Presenter: Philip Ackerman-Leist teaches sustainable agriculture at Green Mountain College. He and his wife Erin raise grass-fed American Milking Devon cattle and free-range poultry on his small farm in Pawlet, VT.
2:00 - 3:00 pm
The War on Bugs
Will Allen's recently published book, The War on Bugs, is a political and social overview of the development of chemical industrial agriculture. This workshop will discuss how chemical advertisements, magazine editorials, large scale farmer testimonials, scientific pronouncements, government promotions, and even Dr. Seuss, combined to create an agricultural and pest control system in America that relies on toxic chemicals, antibiotics, hormones and genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs). Like many farmers, Will knows that if we want to leave healthy farmland and a healthy rural America to our children and grandchildren, we must stop poisoning our environment.
Presenter: Will Allen, who grew up on a small farm in southern CA, received a PhD in Anthropology and taught at the University level before being sentenced to a year in jail for civil rights and antiwar activism. He returned to farming in 1972 and now co-manages Cedar Circle Farm in VT. As a founder of the Sustainable Cotton Project, he is currently co-chair of Farms Not Arms, is on the policy advisory board of the Organic Consumers Assoc., and serves on the board of Rural Vermont.
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Food Preservation by the Seasons
Discussing each season of the year, this workshop will provide an introduction to various methods of food storage and preservation you can do at home. Learn how to enjoy garden and locally-grown produce year-round by canning, drying, fermenting, root cellaring, freezing and dry storage.
Presenters: Nancy Turner and Dave Cain, who do home-scale maple sugaring and beekeeping, are Localvore advocates who practice eating regionally and seasonally. They use a number of food preservation strategies and live in a yurt that they built themselves.
Sunday
9:00-10:00 am
Small Scale Gardening for Home and Planet
Small-scale, intensive vegetable production can be the most ecologically efficient way to grow food. Backyard gardeners can grow an abundance of fruits and vegetables, using far less land, water, and energy than large-scale growers. At the same time, they can create habitat and sequester carbon to help the environment beyond their homes.
Presenter: Kenneth Mulder is farm manager at Green Mountain College, where he teaches courses in organic agriculture and environmental studies. In addition to several years of organic farming experience, he is academically trained as an ecologist and an economist.
10:30 - 11:30 am
The Raw Milk Debate
Fresh, raw milk from the farm has been gaining in popularity. Come find out why many people believe raw milk is healthier; how it supports family farms and strengthens community connections and the local economy; and why we should be active in supporting fair raw milk legislation.
Presenter: Mike Eastman is an organic dairy farmer in Addison County, and, as a board member of Rural Vermont, was active in passing Vermont's Farm Fresh Milk Bill. Born in Rutland, VT, Mike wanted to be a pasture-based dairy farmer since he was two years old and at age 11, got a job working for George Squier in North Clarendon. Mike has a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Maine.
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Stretching Seasonal Eating With Season Extension
If eating locally feels a little confining in the Northeast, there are ways that you can stretch the season without unduly straining your finances or your palate. Row covers, cold frames, and hoop houses will serve as the focus for this workshop, with discussion of crops best-suited for season extension structures.
Presenter: Philip Ackerman-Leist and his family live off-grid in Pawlet, VT with their herd of grass-fed American Milking Devon cattle. Philip teaches sustainable agriculture and is Director of the Farm & Food Project at Green Mountain College in Poultney, VT.
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Colony Collapse and the Current State of Beekeeping from an Organic Perspective
Learn about the current state of the honeybee and the beekeeping industry and alternatives to the failing status quo. Safe, nontoxic and effective methods for controlling hive pests and diseases such as Varroa mites will be discussed. Whether you are looking to use fewer chemicals and increase your profit margin, are committed to keeping bees organically, or just want to find out what all the buzz is about, this workshop is for you.
Presenter: Ross Conrad learned his craft from Charles Mraz, world-renowned beekeeper, father of apitherapy, and founder of Champlain Valley Apiaries in Vermont. Former president of the VT Beekeepers Association, Ross is the author of Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches To Modern Apiculture, and has written numerous articles on beekeeping, organic farming, natural healing, and health issues. His 12-year-old small sideline beekeeping business, Dancing Bee Gardens, supplies his friends, neighbors, and local stores with honey and provides bees for VT apple pollination in the spring.
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Confronting Our Climate Change Challenge: Carbon-Negative Food, Fertility & Fuel
Carbon neutral and emission reduction isn't enough. To reverse global heating, carbon negative is necessary to remove carbon from air and water, and restore healthy soil food webs able to grow nutrient dense foods and species dense forests. Come learn how an ancient indigenous Amazon way to create sustainable soil fertility is now emerging as new carbon-negative businesses and products.
Presenter: David Yarrow is a Water Angel who has nurtured sustainable regional food systems for 30 years as an advocate, activist, organizer, journalist, teacher, healer, and dowser. His primary mission is to call people to Onondaga Lake to pray for peace and to restore the Earth by renewing minerals and trace elements in soil so all life can flourish again.
OUTDOOR WORKSHOPS: Sustainable Agriculture Track
Saturday
9:00 - 12:00 pm
Draft Animals: Natural Power for Sustainable Forestry
This workshop will cover basic care, shoeing, and harnessing for working horses and oxen in the woods. Discussion will touch on ecological integrity and sustainability, managing impact, and the intimacy of physical power as a foundation for stewardship. Other topics will include skid trail layout, felling trees for harvest with animals, safety, setting realistic expectations, and understanding strategies for moving working loads in timber harvest.
Location: To attend this workshop, please gather at the designated meet-up spot, located just below the SolarFest ticket box office.
Presenter: Carl Russell is a forester/logger from Bethel, Vermont. He has operated Russell Forestry Services since 1986, specializing in ecological forestry and low-impact timber harvest with draft animals. Carl and his wife Lisa McCrory own and operate Earthwise Farm & Forest, and are the organizers of the Northeast Animal-Power Field Days trade fair and conference.
Sunday
10:30 - 11:30 am
Awaken Your Sixth Sense: Living Waters, Living Landscapes, Sacred Space
Every body is a water body; water is essential to life. Thus, every creature has an inner sense - a Sixth Sense - to find water. Join David Yarrow, master dowser, as he helps us to awaken these natural senses and to find sacred space in our land and in our hearts.
Location: To attend this workshop, please gather at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside the arena.
Presenter: David Yarrow, a Water Angel, food and farm activist, Earth advocate, and master dowser for 30 years, has taught hundreds of people to use their sixth sense to detect underground water sources and sacred spaces. David urges us to awaken to the subtle, spiritual forces that connect us to the Earth and each other, and realize our full potential to be conscious, whole and healthy stewards of Nature and our planet.
Rutland Herald / Morgan Mtn Organic Gardeners Tent #4 Thriving Locally Track
Friday
4:30-7:00 pm
Creating Community Leadership on Climate and Energy
How do we develop greater climate/energy leadership in our communities? This extended workshop will offer you a chance to learn the latest science, explore new ways of communicating and increase your understanding of solutions for climate and energy leadership. Come learn new strategies for advancing clean energy, catalyze community capacity for the transition to energy efficiency and renewable energy, and strengthen your own ability to lead and contribute.
Presenters: Phil Rice and Beth Sawin, who live in Hartland, Vermont, co-direct Sustainability Institute's Our Climate Ourselves Program (www.OurClimateOurselves.org), which provides tools, experiences, and training to inspire and empower citizen leadership on climate change. Tina Clarke, a campaign director for Clean Water Action, has been a public interest advocate, director, and non-profit consultant for over 20 years. She lives in Amherst, MA in a passive solar, low-toxic home that she helped design.
Saturday
9:00 -10:30 am
Herbal Medicine for Family Health Care
Most of the world relies heavily on plant medicines as they are accessible, renewable, inexpensive, and effective. Learn how easy and fun it is to make your own herbal remedies from backyard plants for common ailments. Take a step towards health-care self-sufficiency!
Presenter: Helena Wu is a midwife and herbalist who has been teaching and practicing for 17 years. She offers classes, health consultations, individual or group mentoring, remedies, and medicine gardening.
11:00 am-12:00 pm
The Politics of Food and Farming
If we have a surplus of food in this country, why are farmers being forced to produce more? Why are so many farmers going broke? Why is Vermont 95% dependent on the global corporate food economy? Why are we facing an obesity epidemic in the USA? This talk will provide local and sustainable food solutions through a discussion of community gardening, farmers' markets, canneries, and healthy lifestyle changes.
Presenter: Ron Krupp is the author of The Woodchuck's Guide to Gardening, a Vermont organic gardening book that received a Christian Science Monitor Garden Book of the Year award.
12:30 -1:30 pm
Keep on Singing Loudly: The Power of Politics and Song
How has music informed and propelled social justice movements of the past? What's happening now? How can we use music to fuel today's progressive movements for peace, workers' rights, the environment, etc.? Learn, discuss and sing together.
Presenters: Pat Humphries & Sandy O form Emma's Revolution, the duo of award-winning, grassroots activist musicians whose songs have been featured on NPR's "All Things Considered" and Pacifica's "Democracy Now!" Check out their bio under Main Stage Performers.
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Transition Town Vermont
Transition Town is a grass-roots initiative designed to help people work in their communities to create positive changes. It links the separate groups of people working in their "islands" of influence and reminds us that we all have valuable skills to help our communities navigate change. Come hear the story of Transition Town, the wonderful process that originated in England and now comes to Vermont.
Presenters: Barbara Tam was the only non-UK participant in the original Transition Town Totnes in Southern England. She has recently returned there to film a documentary about the initiative. Jeff Jones works with Black River Produce, promoting local foods and helping to create a Transition Town model in Vermont. Ron Slabaugh is a founding member of the Addison County ReLocalisation Network and is a proponent of the Transition Town Initiative here in Vermont.
3:30 - 4:30 pm
A Formula for Sustainability in Vermont: Small House with Passive and Active Solar
Come prepared for a lively discussion on the joys and challenges of living a simple and sustainable life. Using slides and stories, Richard Czaplinski will discuss living in Adamant, VT in the small passive solar house he built.
Presenter: Richard Czaplinski was born and raised on a small dairy farm in central Wisconsin. After receiving a degree in engineering and serving six years in the nuclear navy, he went back to graduate school and has since redirected his efforts to environmental protection.
Sunday
9:00 - 10:00 am
Plants as Co-creative Partners
Plants are the most successful organisms on the planet and have the unique ability to create food, oxygen and tissue from sunlight. They are intelligent beings who have the capacity to store enormous amounts of information while being highly efficient in communicating and making decisions. Indigenous healers have long recognized that the spirit essence of the plants does most of the communicating and healing. Join us for a lively discussion on how plants can help us evolve spiritually into a new life-giving paradigm on Planet Earth.
Presenter: Pam Montgomery is an herbalist and Plant Spirit Healing educator and practitioner from Danby, VT. She is the author of Plant Spirit Healing: A Guide to Working with Plant Consciousness and Partner Earth: A Spiritual Ecology.
10:30-11:30 am
Radical Simplicity
In his groundbreaking book Radical Simplicity, Jim Merkel asks us to "imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take?" This presentation contains practical approaches to make sizable cuts in spending and footprints, both in our lives and in the workplace.
Presenter: Jim Merkel is the author of Radical Simplicity and has worked as the Sustainability Coordinator at Dartmouth College. Originally a military engineer, Jim founded the Global Living Project (GLP) and initiated the GLP Summer Institute, where teams of researchers live on an equitable portion of the biosphere.
12:00-1:00 pm
Addressing Energy and Climate Action at the Local Level in Vermont
This workshop shows how forming Town Energy Committees can address high energy costs and climate change. Learn about projects that benefit both the municipality and the community, including energy assessment tools, efficiency improvements, biomass conversion, town energy planning, compact fluorescent light bulb change-out programs, and community engagement programs, and others.
Presenter: Paul Markowitz is Project Coordinator for the VT Chapter of the Sierra Club, which helps communities address energy and climate change issues. Paul has worked for 25 years on community-based environmental solutions, leadership training, facilitation, and environmental advocacy. He is conducting this workshop on behalf of the Vermont Energy & Climate Action Network.
1:30-2:30 pm
No Sustainability, No Peace
"No justice, no peace" is a common chant in peace marches. There is also a connection between sustainability and peace: each reinforces the other. Come hear veterans of the peace and environmental movements discuss the connections between the two.
Presenters: Carl Etnier is director of Peak Oil Awareness of East Montpelier. Joseph Gainza is the field secretary of the American Friends Service Committee in Vermont (AFSC), which opposes violence of all kinds.
3:00-4:00 pm
What's New in Recycling
Come learn about the newest innovations and challenges in recycling technology, such as single-stream recycling. We'll also touch upon landfill usage and the extraction of methane gas.
Presenter: Sal Vitagliano is a commercial accounts manager with Casella Waste Systems in Central Vermont. He graduated from Mount Saint Joseph Academy and attended The College of St. Joseph and Castleton.
OUTDOOR WORKSHOPS: Thriving Locally Track
Saturday and Sunday
8:00 - 9:00am
Morning Yoga
Sustainability for your body! Wake up and stretch with a morning yoga class. All levels are welcome. Bring a mat if you have one.
Location: In front of the Family Stage
Saturday
11:00-12:00
Weed Walk
Come take a walk around Forget-Me-Not Farm to identify and learn about the medicinal and edible plants of our community. Plants we can use on a daily basis, either as food or as medicine, are growing right here in our backyards!
Location: To attend this workshop, please gather at the SolarFest Peace Pole, located outside of the arena. Due to the popularity of this workshop, we will offer four weed walks during the festival. Space is limited; first come, first served!
Presenter: Helena Wu is a homebirth midwife, herbalist, and owner of Moon Mountain Midwifery and The Good Herb. She teaches classes on herbal medicine and birthing, sees people for health consultations, and makes herbal remedies.
2:00-3:00
Weed Walk
See Weed Walk from 11:00 -12:00 above for details.
Presenter: Leslie Silver lives in Middletown Springs, tending gardens, collecting wild foods and making medicines. She also teaches yoga as a means of connecting with and healing one's body and spirit.
Sunday
9:00 - 9:30am
Peace Pole Ceremony: May Peace Prevail on Earth
Last year, we dedicated the SolarFest Peace Pole in a moving ceremony that involved the flags of every nation and a gong fashioned out of melted armaments. We won't have the flags or gong this year, but we have created a new ceremony to rededicate the Peace Pole and to celebrate the oneness of our humanity, our community, and our planet.
Location: In front of the Main Stage
12:00-1:00
Weed Walk
See Saturday's Weed Walk listing from 11:00 -12:00 above for details.
Presenter: Leslie Silver (see above for bio)
1:30-2:30
Weed Walk
See Saturday's Weed Walk listing from 11:00 -12:00 above for details.
Presenter: Helena Wu (see above for bio)
Evergreen Solar Tent #5 Solar Generation (Youth) Track
Saturday
9:00 - 10:00 am
Rebels With a Cause: How You Can Work to Save The Environment at Home and School
Ever wonder what kids can do to help save the environment? We invite young people ages 10-14 to discover how to make positive change happen by becoming environmental activists. Learn what you can do at home and school to have a huge and lasting impact on the environment. We'll discuss what kids from all over are doing to improve the environment and how you can organize efforts locally to do the same thing.
Presenter: Eleanor Tison is a professor of Environmental Liberal Arts at Green Mountain College in Poultney VT.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Omnivore, Herbivore, Localvore: Questions to Ask Before You Eat
We make decisions every day about what to eat. Some of us chose to be vegetarians; others chose to eat only food grown in our community; many of us eat whatever is easy, cheap, and tastes good. But what you eat affects not only your body but also the world we live in. This workshop, for high school and college age young people, discusses some questions to ask before you eat, so that filling your stomach, eating nutritiously, and creating a better world can go hand-in-hand.
Presenters: Carol Tashie is a member of the Rutland Area Localvores from Rutland City. Leslie Silver lives in Middletown Springs, tending gardens, collecting wild foods, and making medicines.
12:30 - 1:30 pm
See the World, Save the World (One Peace at a Time)
This workshop, designed for high school and college age young people, discusses how you can see the world on the cheap while helping the planet and building your resumé!
Presenters: Jeni Chesnut-Tangerman grew up with SolarFest and has traveled the world with friends and various organizations. Volunteers for Peace is an international service exchange organization that offers projects in more than 100 countries. Every year members of Volunteers for Peace volunteer at SolarFest to learn about renewable energy, community, and the bonds that connect us all.
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Think Outside the Bottle: The Real Scoop on Bottled Water
Bottled water corporations portray bottled water as healthy, when in reality it threatens our health and our ecosystems, costs thousands of times the price of tap water, and undermines local control over a common resource. This workshop, for young people of all ages, provides the real scoop on bottled water and shows how to launch a "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign at your school or in your community!
Presenter: Deborah Lapidus is a national organizer with Corporate Accountability International, which challenges irresponsible and dangerous corporate actions around the world through campaigns such as "Think Outside the Bottle."
3:30 - 4:30 pm
Sustainability in Higher Education
Over the past decade, hundreds of college campuses have hired sustainability coordinators to address issues such as climate change, energy, organic and local foods, fair trade, green building, and zero waste. During this workshop, designed for high school and college age young people, Jim Merkel will share his experiences as Dartmouth's Sustainability Coordinator and highlight programs from other leading green campuses.
Presenter: Jim Merkel integrated environmentally and socially sustainable practices into Dartmouth College's operations, culture, and strategic plan. His projects include sustainable dining, solar thermal evaluation, carbon reduction, sustainable offices, Green Greeks, and solid waste reduction.
Sunday
9:00 - 10:15 am
Sun Power: Energy for Life
The Sun makes it possible for life to exist on Earth. This workshop, for children from grades K-4 and their parents, looks at how living things are affected by changes such as day to night and season to season.
Presenters: Lisa Purcell and Rob Anderegg are from the Four Winds Nature Institute Nature Program, a community-based environmental education program for elementary schools in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. Four Winds Nature Institute is a non-profit organization advancing the understanding, appreciation, and protection of the environment through community-based natural science education and research.
10:30 - 11:30 am
Hit 'em in the Wallet: Change the World with What You Buy (and Don't Buy)
This workshop, for young people of all ages, explores how consumer choices affect the environment. From packaging to transportation, the things we buy (and how we buy them) have a huge impact on our planet. Come explore how we can make better decisions.
Presenters: TBA
12:00 - 1:00 pm
Spiderman, Superwoman, and the X-Men: The Power of Alternative Energy
Superwoman gets her power from the sun. Spiderman fights Dr. Octopus, who builds his very own sun. Storm fights bad guys by making wind. Come learn what amazing things even non-super heroes and sheroes can do with alternative energy sources. This fun workshop, for 8- to 14-year-olds, looks at wind, hydro, solar, biomass, bio-fuel, and other forms of energy!
Presenters: TBA
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Girl Power! Feminine Products that Hurt the Planet and their Eco-Alternatives
This workshop, for middle-school, high school, and college age young people, looks at feminine products and how environmentally unfriendly and unhealthy they can be. We will discuss Toxic Shock Syndrome, dioxins, and body image as we consider environmentally sound and healthy alternatives for women of all ages.
Presenters: Rachel Fredette earned her biology degree from the University of Vermont and will be attending Northeastern University this fall to pursue her master's degree in marine biology.
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Rock the Vote: What Young Voters Should Know About Elections and the Environment
Everyone tells you to vote, but can voting really make a difference? This workshop, for young voters, discusses how the Solar Generation can change the world by getting involved in the political process. You will learn how to use your energy to make the environment an issue in upcoming elections.
Presenter: Christopher Pearson, a Progressive party state Representative in the Vermont legislature, worked on Bernie Sanders's 1998 congressional campaign and in 2001 became executive director of the Progressive Party. Chris worked for FairVote, an election reform organization based outside Washington DC.
OUTDOOR WORKSHOPS: Solar Generation (Youth) Track
Saturday
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
SolarFest Site Tour: For Young People of All Ages
Ever wonder how everything at SolarFest is powered by renewable energy? This tour, designed for young people of all ages, will visit SolarFest's solar hot water installation, our numerous photovoltaic panels, and the Power Station (we call it "the juice bar"). We'll even find out how LED lights brighten the action on SolarFest's Main Stage!
Location: This workshop will begin at the SolarFest Power Station.
Presenters: Young people who have grown up with SolarFest as well as SolarFest's energy experts.
3:00 - 4:45 pm
Future Cars Today: What to Know Before Buying Your First Hybrid Car
This workshop, for high school and college age young people, offers a hands-on look at the various hybrid vehicles available today and lets us hear from some of their owners. We'll talk about how our transportation choices affect the environment-and find out which one has the most cup holders!
Location: SolarFest Hybrid, Electric, and Grease Car Parking Area
Presenter: Steven Letendre is a professor at Green Mountain College and a national expert on plug-in hybrids and sustainable transportation alternatives. He has published extensively on the topic and is a frequent presenter at regional and national conferences.
Sunday
9:00 - 10:15 am
SolarFest Site Tour: For young people of all ages
See the description and location for SolarFest Site Tour: For Young People of All Ages Saturday, 11:00 - 12:15
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Solar Car Racing
NESEA's Junior Solar Sprint teaches young people about the design, construction, and performance of model solar electric vehicles. This mini-version of the Junior Solar Sprint allows young people, ages 10-14, to design, test, and race solar-powered vehicles.
Location: Meet just below the SolarFest ticket box office.
Presenter: Kevin Kiefaber is a guidance counselor by day who still dreams of becoming an engineer when he grows up. He has been involved in all sorts of model racing.
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